Dust in My Eyes
Written by 4pinkbear. This is not an entirely a Warriors Fanfiction, but at one point it has to do with clans. Just read, and it will all make sense. The main character is based off 4pinkbear's favorite german-accented butt-kicker, Edward Richtofen from the Call of Duty series. Many references and characters are from the games as well. This is the first book in the Children of Der Riese books, and this is in Richtofen's POV. 4pinkbear plans on a sequel based around Samantha, which presumably will be called Corrupted Shadows. If you like it, if you would be so kind, please leave a compliment. 4pinkbear likes compliments. :3 Link to Guide ﻿The Story Guide - This is the guide mini-book that explains most of what's happening, features a simple plot summary and "blurb", and a detailed character list. Prologue The sun filtered lightly through the clouds. It was time. I gently padded across the hard rocky floor of the cave, my soft gold-and-white fur like waves as a breeze blew through. I looked at myself in a puddle to make sure my fur looked well. Today, I would kill him. I unsheathed my claws and sharpened them across the rock when there was a clattering sound. "Unca Richtofen!" a soft mew lit up my ears. I swerved around, breathing in the small kit's scent. "Hello, Samantha. Vhat brings you here this morning?" I replied shakily, hiding my claws. I showed a fake smile and looked from side to side. She smiled back. "I came for some prey, Unca. Is there a problem?" she meowed, looking around in confusion. "Of course not, Samantha. I'll be fine. H-Here, take this squirrel and go share it vith Maxis before we test ze teleporter soon." I meowed hurriedly, nudging her away. "Oh-okay. And then can I see you make more zombies? That was cool!" she squeaked. "Uh, yes! Now, go, go!" I meowed. I ruffled out my fur and shook my head. I couldn't let Samantha interfere. She was his niece and he loved her, but she didn't want her to get hurt when he would kill her father, Maxis. I put on my safety cloak and went into the nesting chamber. "Ah, zhere it is." I hissed. Nestlien was sleeping gently and softly, with 9 kits resting at her stomach. "Testing time." I whispered, seizing a small kit in my jaws. I shut entrance where Maxis was standing right outside. His pale gray fur bristled. "Vhere have you been? Samantha said you vere acting wierd? Vhat's vrong, and do you have the test subject?" the tom growled. "Yes, Doctor. I have Fluffy in my possession, and I apologize for ze incident vith Samantha-I have a slight cold and it makes me feel awkward at ze moment." I meowed simply, setting the tortoishell-and-white kit down. "Richtofen, put the test subject in the chamber." Maxis growled. I nodded and dropped the kit in the teleporter gently, and my paw pads touched the ground gently. The gravel underneath my paws crunched as I padded to the activation buttons. I flipped the switches, and the teleporter shut. There was a loud screeching sound as it activated, and there was a creaking noise before the system shut down and the door opened. Fluffy was gone. "Doctor Maxis! We've done it!" I yowled in triumph. Maxis shook his head. "Another failure." he meowed sadly. "But Vhy!?" I hissed angrily. "The kit teleported, yes, but it did not reappear at ze mainframe..." Maxis grumbled. I slammed the teleporter door shut and then I froze. A staticy-lightning-like sound came from inside, and fierce growls came from it. What was it? I didn't know, and whatever it was, I didn't want to find out. "M-maxis?" I whimpered, peering inside. Nothing. Yet. "Vhat?" Maxis hissed. He unsheathed his claws and slashed me across the face. Blood trickled from my nose and got in my mouth. I spat it out and whispered, "Vhy, Maxis? Vhy?" "You ignorant worker! I demand you open this door, so I can show you zat zhere is nothing there!" he yowled. When I opened the door, my whole life turned upside-down, and the world changed for me in the worst of ways. But how did I end up at this point, you want to know? I will tell you, from the beginning, and then, when I reach this point, I will tell you what became of us, Group 935. As I am Edward Richtofen, preferably just Richtofen, known as the evil mastermind behind zombies! Chapter 1 ﻿"Edward! I bet 'cha can't race me to the top!" Maxis and I, when we were kits. Life was perfect. "Quiet down, you lousy, no-good offspring!" That was father. He was annoying and rude. He hated us. I unsheathed my claws, nimbly and quickly climbing it as if it were the side of a steep cliff. I beat Maxis to the top. "Hah!" I yowled at his face. I smirked. He smirked back. "Ludvig! Edward! No fair!" Antoinette hissed. Antoinette was my sister, but I usually called her Anne. "Don't worry Anne, if you think it's unfair, I'll crush your little dolls made of leaves and twigs again!" Maxis replied in an evil tone. I growled and lunged at him, sending us tumbling down the branches and land on our father. "I. Said. Shut. Up!" he snarled. He pinned me down. I squealed playfully. As a kit, by instinct, I thought he was playing with me. I was wrong. He gently put an x-shaped scar across my forehead. I screamed in pain. My mother ran over and tackled our father. "Fredrich! Vhat is vrong vith you? They're children!" she hissed. Maxis stared blankly as Father threw mother off. What he did next was worse, and mentally scarred me forever. "Father! Vhy are you hurting mama and big brother?" Anne squealed, biting his tail-tip. "Anne, NO!" I screeched as Father pinned down Anne, and sliced open her throat. Scarlet pools surrounded the lifeless body of his sister. Maxis, despite what he had said, began to tremble in fear. "NOOWWW, are any of you squirts gonna obey me or suffer like Antoinette did?" We both nodded and padded away to the bush, only to hear the pained screams of our mother. We knew he killed her, too. "Revenge, Edward. Think about it." Maxis meowed, eyes gleaming. "I don't know, how can ve kill him? He's too strong!" I whimpered, peering out of the bush to see father with paws drenched with a tint of blood-color. He was jet-black in color. What a despicable, murderous figure he was! And then, Maxis meowed, "I have something that vill slice his neck open that isn't claws!" He bounced away from the bush into the forest. "Maxis, vait!" I squealed. "I'm coming vith you." Chapter 2 ﻿I never knew I would be fond of twoleg weapons. Maxis grasped the handle gently with his teeth. It was clean and shiny, curved and sharp at the end. It was what I later learned was called a sickle. Maxis laid it down, and pulled out what I later knew was a knife. "Use this vine to wrap around your waist, to carry it around. It's yours to keep, I found them by the side of the Thunderpath. A twoleg had thrown them out of their monster at me, and see this nick in my ear? The straight one had caught in my ear, and went I ripped it out, I got this!" Maxis mewed. I winced at hearing that. That must've hurt..like, really bad! "But hey, Edward, we're 6 moons old. We can take on the world be ourselves, even though mom and sis are dead!" he yowled. I grimaced and slowly backed away in fear, and bumped into something warm. "Able to take on the world, huh? Take on this!" It was father! I was slammed forward by father as he reared up on me and attacked. Maxis dodged and grabbed my scruff, lickily pulling me away when father had attacked. There was a flash of blue around me, and, well, I didn't know what was happening! Then, my sickle flew into father's neck, and Maxis grabbed it and ran. Father lay motionless. The blue flashed again, and I blinked away the brightness until I squeezed my eyes shut. I was in an abandoned twoleg nest. Collosal. "Welcome to my laboratory!" I gazed in wonder at the hard tile flooring, the huge white ceiling and walls, and the large containers of chemicals. "Don't just stare! Get these goggles on! We're gonna form our own group: Group 935!" "Vhy didn't you tell me before, Ludvig?" I asked sternly. "I'm sorry, I didn't vant mother or father to know. Sorry it was so sudden. I wanted Anne to see it, too. But I know she's watching us from StarClan." he meowed sadly, looking down. I cocked my head in confusion. "StarClan? What in the name of The Great Spirit is zat?" "RICHTOFEN!" Maxis snapped. I snapped back, "I don't like being called by my chosen last name! I like Edvard better!" "Well, we're being proffessional here, Dr. Richtofen. You're about 6 moons old, old enough to know these things. I'm 8 moons old, and I now vant to be called Dr. Maxis, is zat clear!?" I looked down at the floor. "Yes, Dr." "Good." And with that, Maxis padded away. What was StarClan? Is the Great Spirit really fake? I was so confused, I shook my head and got my goggles on. Chapter 3 ﻿1 year later... "Dr. Richtofen! Come here, NOW!" Maxis yowled. I whimpered and sulked over to my older brother. "Sit up straight, Edvard. Get some sense into you! We have new test subjects: Warrior Cats from ze forest! Iriena kidnapped them herself! Now, get to vork! After this test, we'll have enough to go to Shi No Numa and collect more 115 to make our teleporter/time-traveling device!" he snapped. He shoved forward 5 cats. "These are Softpaw, Deathpaw, Snatchpaw, Bluepaw, and Demonpaw. Take care." Maxis growled, and padded out the door. I snarled to the small cats, "Come, now." Softpaw whimpered out, "What're doin' to us?" "Quiet. I need you all to swim in the red-tinted pool." I meowed with fake pleasure. "It looks like blood!" Softpaw shrieked. "Vell, if it vas, it vould reek very bad in here, vouldn't it? Now, swim, or suffer." I hissed. Demonpaw leaped in first, and the other four followed, even the reluctant Softpaw did. I felt bad these such healthy and happy cats would be tested on by making them swim in pools of 115, yet I knew if I didn't and let them escape, Maxis would...I don't even know! Softpaw gasped and gagged his way out of it. His fur grew long and patchy, but then fell off, and then his fur grew back, but in a reddish-tint. His eyes glowed momentarily, and went all blank and moony. He moaned and slumped to the ground. "Get up, you filthy-vait a minute." Softpaw got up as he said it. "Richtofen! Dr. Richtofen! You have done it! You have created a successful cat to listen and to accept fates! Your experiments, your time here in Der Riese! I'm free!" I squealed, tears flowing down my cheeks. Maxis came in to see me. "Edvard! Get up off the ground! What is this?" I sniffled with joy. "Dr. Maxis! I have-I mean-Ve've done it! They vill obey ever-ee-thing I tell zem to-oo!" I cried. "Vhy are you crying, you veak, scrawny scientist!? GET UP, NOW!" he shrieked. "I'm so sorry, I'm just so emotional right now at our suc-" "Sucess? This is a failure! You're a failure! What is wrong with you!?" he yowled angrily. I whimpered and bowed my head. "That's it, I order you to execute the test subjects, and enjoy it the whole way through!" Maxis hissed. I quickly drew out my sickle as he left, shutting the door behind him. I growled, slamming my paws against the ground, in hopes to awaken the cats. They blinked and unruffled their fur. Their eyes went normal. I blinked away tears as I leapt forward, sickle in jaws, ready to tear my way through Group 935, and be known as their leader. I narrowed my eyes and tore open Softpaw's throat. Victory would be mine! I yowled in triumph. Maxis better watch out, now! I laughed evilly after standing over all the cats' bodies. Victory...has arrived. Chapter 4 Only a moon later, Sophia and Maxis shared tongues with their daughter, Samantha. Today was the day. The sun filtered lightly through the clouds. It was time. Oh, wait, you've already seen this, so I'll skip ahead to what happens next. "Edvard! Open it, now!" Maxis snapped. I whimpered and opened it, to reveal a dark, demonic-looking, full-grown, midnight-black Fluffy with flames surrounding her body. "Die!" Fluffy surprisingly... barked. "DEMON CAT!!! NEIN!" I yowled, starting to run. Fluffy sat there, eyeing me with her literally fiery eyes. Samantha burst in the room. "Vhat have you done vith Floofy?" she squeaked in terror. Fluffy growled, unsheating her flaming claws. Maxis snarled, "Edvard, get her out of here!" Instead, Samantha ran away from me, jumping onto Maxis' back. "SAMANTHA!" I shrieked. The teleporter had activated. A scream echoed around the room until it began to fade. "Vhat...have I done?" I murmured, tears welling in my eyes. "Samantha... my sweet niece... gone?" I growled. Sophia paced back in forth. I was alone in the clearing, the rest of Group 935 glaring in a circle around me. "So, Dr. Edvard Richtofen, you admit to your crime?" she hissed. "And vhat crime do you accuse me of?" I snapped defensively. "Murder, you son of a twoleg. Our-I mean-Maxis and I's daughter, as vell as Maxis. himself." she growled. "Lies, Sophia. And ve all know you cheated on me for Maxis. You had lied about loving me, isn't that a crime yourself!?" I spat out. She winced, tears welling in her eyes. "I bore YOUR kits, not Maxis'. Samantha is YOUR daughter, but you did not believe me!" she snapped. "I'm leaving." I muttered, grabbing my sachet and strapping it around my shoulders. I packed my things and left. An outcast, I was. I had nothing but myself and a sachet. Nothing. So, what became of me? Samantha? Maxis? Fluffy? Group 935? This isn't the end, you know. Leaving my home behind, was the beginning. Oh yes... the beginning... Chapter 5 ﻿Stupid Sophia! I never had kits with that demon! I hissed at a sudden pain in my pad. I flipped it up to examine it. A thorn. In the middle of nowhere? Are you kidding me? I yanked it out painlessly and kept moving. I placed my new boots over my paws for protection, using my teeth to tie it with ease. I prodded gently across the ground until I stepped in something warm and... melty. Mud! I growled. All over my new boots! I threw them off and kept moving. My pad is cracked, my boots are ruined and stuck in the mud, and I'm in the middle of nowhere! Sophia's gone mad, Maxis and my dear niece Samantha's gone.... and... and... maybe I've gone mad!? I sat down and thought of it. What can I do? There's no prey for miles around here. The mud is sticky and hard to squeeze water from. Wait-the trees! I can use my sickle to cut a small one down and build a den! It took me hours but I succeeded. Luckily, my sachet can hold a ton. I mean, it can shrink and grow things bigger-or-smaller and allow me to build and reconstruct matter. "Ah, much better." I mewed. The heat that blazed on my thick coat diminished as I rested underneath the shady miniature twoleg-nest replica. The trees helped, too. .::.Meanwhile.::. "Takeo! I hear a voice!" a blonde-colored tom mewed. His voice was rough and harsh-sounding, but joy filled it's tone. His amber eyes softened in relief. The three cats prowled forward to find a twoleg-nest-like-thing. They peeked inside. "Mmm...shade..." the blonde tom meowed. "Shh!!!! A cat is in there! Sleeping!" the dark green tom meowed. His sharp emerald eyes glared at the blonde tom. "Clam it, Takeo. Let's check it out!" the blonde cat meowed. Takeo frowned and a low, near-silent growl ripped through his throat. A light, pale, brown tom padded forward. "Let's drink to success! We found shelter!" he meowed. His voice had a russian accent, much like how Takeo had a Japanese accent. "Nikolai, you and your drinking. It's unhealthy!" Takeo spat. The blonde cat hissed, "SSHHHH!!!" "Please quiet down Dempsey! You're being too loud!" Takeo hissed. .::.Back to Richtofen.::. I stirred gently at hearing noises. "Can you shut up! It's a German Cat from Der Riese! See the clothing?" a blonde cat hissed. "Dempsey! He's waking up!" the green cat hissed. The light brown cat growled, "Takeo, stop being a hypocrite." "I AM NOT! I'M BEING HONORABLE! SO SHUT YOUR TRAP, NIKOLAI!" the green cat yelled. "Vhat is zat noise!?" I spat, and I turned on a lantern. Three toms, weary and tired-looking, were yelling at each other, in my den! "Vhat are you doing in my den?" I spat. They all froze. "Er-we were lost, and we needed shelter. Why are you asking us, when you should be in Group 935?" Dempsey spat. I froze. "I-I'm not from zhere!" I meowed, looking away. "It's obvious by your Wehrmacht clothing you have over your green-and-brown fur." Dempsey growled. "I vas exiled! Zhere! I said it! I killed zhere leader, my brother, in cold blood, okay?" I admitted, still looking away. "Y-you killed Ludvig Maxis? You really did?" Takeo meowed. "Yes, okay?" I spat, and I met the three toms in the eye with an evilly mad glare. There was bloodstains all other my clothing coated with a thin layer of mud. I looked a mess to these toms, I could tell. "But dude, why are you so far from them? By now, I would've been only a mile away. In one day. And I'm fast." Dempsey meowed. "Really?" I hissed, and lunged at him, toppling him to the ground and pinned him down, claws sheathed. "Look. You vouldn't make it in a battle for 3 seconds, so go bother anozzur ex-Der Riese cat." Richtofen spat. "Well, you seem tough enough. We're the Originals, a group of cats who escaped Der Riese's tests, but in the process, we lost our memory of anything before it. You're our only hope of getting it back." Dempsey meowed. I froze. "You vouldn't be Test Subjects 4895, 1335, and 2047, vould you?" I meowed, but fright was in my eyes. I jumped back against the wall, pressing against it fearfully. I hoped they wouldn't realize I was the one who did their mind-wiping. "Well, that's what that jerk who they call Dr. Richtofen called us." Dempsey hissed. I winced. "So, yes." Takeo meowed, bowing his head. "You haven't told us your name yet." Nikolai meowed, eying me with hostility. "M-my f-first name is E-Edvard." I stammered. "Last?" Nikolai hissed, eyes narrowing. I gulped. "Richtofen. I'm Dr. Richtofen." I meowed in a small voice, snatching my sachet, and I broke into a run. ﻿Chapter 6 "DR. RICHTOFEN!?" Dempsey yowled in surprise. I jumped over their heads, sachet over my shoulder and dangling at my side, running like I was a maniac. No. I really was a maniac. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" I spat, and kept running. Dempsey reared up behind me and lunged. At the last second, I jumped up, and he went flying and hit a tree with his claws. "YEOOWW!" Dempsey spat. When he pulled his claws out, one got ripped out into a tree. He hissed and kept running. "GIVE ME BACK MY MEMORY YOU FOX-HEART!" Dempsey spat. "Alright. I admit it. I cannot reverse what has been viped from your brains, as much as I'd like to."I meowed, bowing my head as if I was prepared to get a punishment. Dempsey hissed, "You just messed with the wrong tom." He unsheathed his claws. I kept my head lowered. I deserved this, even if Maxis had forced me to do what I had done. Takeo and Nikolai padded forward, and saw my head lowered, and Dempsey lowering his haunches. "Kill me if you must-but it will only hurt yourself." I meowed. Dempsey still readied to punish me. Nikolai shrugged, and grabbed a glass, filling it with some kind of alcoholic beverage, and lapping it up. Almost automatically, his eyes got all dreamy, as if he was drunken. Takeo just stared silently. Then there was a rumbling in the ground. "Zat noise-oh, Great Spirits, NO!" I spat, jumping back. Dempsey snorted. "Coward!" he growled, unsheathing his claws. "DEMPSHEY RUN NOW!" I yowled. "Is this earthquake?" Nikolai meowed, and dropped his glass. It shattered into a million, sparkling pieces. Takeo flattened his ears against his head. "No, no, no!" I yelled. Voices flew through my head. "Richtofen, run, zombies..." one murmured. I shrieked, "LEAVE ME ALONE YOU FLESHEATERS!" and broke into a run. Dempsey chased after me, Takeo and Nikolai following.